Automatic railway signaling device.



4 J. E. HUNT.

AUToMATIo RAILWAY SIGNALING DBVIGE. APPLICATION FILED MAE.12, 1910.

1,031, 1 1 9, Patented July 2, 1912.

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, ArmRNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0..wASHlNuTaN. D. c.

J. E. HUNT. AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 12, 1910.

Patented July 2, 191.2.

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v MIJ IN VENTOR WITNESSES A TTORNE Y 'coLUMBlA PLANOQRAPH C0..wAsH|Nn1'oN. D. cf.

or rnnivron'r, OHIO.

JOHN E. HUNT,

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SIGNALING DEVICE. i

Specification of Letters Patent. Patentd July 2 1912 Application filed March 12, 1910. Serial No. 548,779.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. HUNT, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Fremont, in the county of Sandusky and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway Signaling Devices, of which the following is a specification.

It is now well known that notwithstanding the utility accorded to the block system on railways; it frequently occurs that the engineer fails `to observe the block because of either inattention, or the condition of the weather, as in case of a. violent storm rendering it quite impossible to see the'semaphore, or the light shown thereby; and the general purpose and object of my invention is to furnish additional means by way of torpedo signaling, which is operated in unison with the semaphore.

Referring tothe drawings herewith, Figure 1 represents ,in perspective a general view of my device; shown in connection with a semaphore and post therefor; the

housing being omitted. Fig. 2 represents aA section on the line A A of Fig. 1; the housing which was omitted in Fig. 1, being herein shown. Fig. 3 represents'a topi plan of Fig. 2, the cover and housing being omitted, and the torpedo with its carrier being thrown into normal. Fig. 4: represents a detail opposite the view seen in Fig. 1 Fig. 5 represents a partial detail of the carrler.

will now be explained, the torpedo 6 is shown in place upon the rail.l

As represented in Figs. 1 and 2 my device is placed at right angles with the track, and conveniently near the saine. .A bed piece 7 is made to carry the operative parts, and to which a housing 8 may be made fast. Mounted upon said bed is a cover 9 which is removably secured thereto by bolts 9a; and within said cover is a slidable bar 10 which I call a torpedo carrier, made to carry an oscillating shaft 11, which in turn carries a dog 12, made to operate in a slot 12 cut or formed therein. Said dog is provided with a notch `or slot 12a, and when raised to operative position, it is the office thereof to receive and hold a suitable looped wire, or other suitably formed substitute therefor, 13, which is secured to and projects from the torpedo 6, and serves as a handle by which it is carried. ,Said cover is provided with a magazine 14 of sufficient capacity to hold'a reasonable number of torpedoes; and the handle-is of such length, that, allowing for the necessary action of said carrier when the `torpedo is central under the magazine, and y the carrier is in normal position, as in Fig. 3,the handle is engaged by said notch or slot. By reason of which, so long as said `dog is held in operative position, said torpedo is made to go and come with the operation of said carrier. Saidbed piece is provided with a slot 15 which registers with said dog and permits the same to fall there- Coming now to a more detailed descripin, when the carrier is in operated position, tion of my device: In Fig. 1 is shown a and said dog is released. 'Normally said signal post 1 upon which is mounted a semadog is in Operative position; and it is held phore 2 which is operated in the usual mantherein by .virtue of an overweighted trip 16, which is pivoted to said carrier by a pivot bolt 16a, and which trip has its heavy end resting upon the projecting end of said shaft 11, and made to engage a stud 17 which rises from said shaft.

Manifestly when the engine or a car runs over the torpedo the handle becomes worthless, and distorted inshape, and therefore, in order that it may be released, and not be drawn back into the device, after the `torpedo has been exploded, I make thelight end of said trip 18, to reach forward to a point near the rail, and within the path of the tread of the car wheel, by means of ywhich, as the torpedo is exploded by a passing train or engine, the trip is operated and the shaft 11 is made free to turn, and in conner familiar to railway men. In this particular instance, the semaphore is supposed to be operated either from the station, or by throwing of a switch. Ordinarily the semaphore is made to turn about apivot bolt, but for the purpose of operating my device, I make said bolt 3 to turn with the semaphore, the bolt head being made fast tothe semaphore by suitable means 4. Said bolt is made to pass through the post, and turns therein, and in order that my device may operate in unison with said semaphore make said bolt, oppositely, to carry a sprocket wheel 5, see Fig. 4, which is secured thereto as any mechanic would suggest.

In the drawings, Fig. 1, the semaphore is shown at danger signal, and accordingly, as

' 5 is exploded, said dog is made to vrotate and fbecome disengaged from said` handle. Said dogl being thusdisengaged the free end thereof comes t rest with its back against the end of said slot 15, as may be Vunderstood from the dotted outline in Fig. 2, where the dog is represented in rotated position; and, by reason of this arrangement, as the carrier is returned to normal, the dog is rotated back to normal, and rides with its back upon trip falls in front of the stud It maynow be understoodyk that normally one of the torpedoes is at rest upon the bed piece,

as seen in Fig. 3, with the outer end of the 2'0 looped handle engaged with the notch 12a, and with the torpedo central under the magazine. `VVhile in this position, the column vof torpedoes rests thereon; being surmounted by a load 19.` which serves to feedv the torpedoes as required-l Inl order that said torpedoes may be thus fed?, and to accommodate the handle thereof, I provide said magazine with a communicating slot20, which registers with a like slot in said cover. v

Forqoperative purposes the handle 13 is preferably made flush with the upper end of the torpedo, though the handle may be made to surmount the same. In the latter Vcase it must be understood that the handle must be made to extend sutliciently beyond the center line, so that when a torpedo is central under the magazine, the easy operation ofthe device will not be interfered with: in short so that the adjacent torpedo kwill thenride freely upon the upper side of the handle.A `The mechanic' will now observe that in either casethe Ythickness of the carrier is to be accordingly; so that the upper side ofthehandle shall be of uniform' height with the 4upper side of said carrier: and thus facilitate the easy going and" coming of the carrier under the column of torpedoes. And to this end I provide-said carrier with see Fig. 5, which accommodates said handle; its depth being slightl thickness of saidA handle,

so as not'to draw returned toy normal; the coliunn; of torpedoes, during thisv operation, being made toV rest upon the full thickness ofsaidcarrier outside of said recess, and toride thereon.

Referrino' to Figs. 2 and 3, it may be noticed that .lduring such return to normal a freshV torpedo is made to fall, a-ssoon as they support of the carrier is withdrawn therefrom.; and that this occurs before said earrierv is fully returned'. But this is af matter 65. of no importance, the fact being governed:

the bed piece, while the heavy end-of the K Y the carrier; the

2l, formed as shown `in the drawings;

`26 and 27, andv which l connected with said carrier by means 28 and throwing ofV a y Y ends, the usual` rod' 34isconnected with the semaphore. It may now be understoodthat in f order to give said carrier its required action,

a slot-ted recess 22,?

y greater than the v cables 25 over Y Y lsaid lever 30` as shown in dotted outline.` themutilated handle as the carrier isbemg L faction of the carrier in one direction.

l, direct operation` istation; since 1t f the fresh torpedo was to fall upon said handle, it would project above the limits of the chamber and block the operation of the device. I have just said that the chamberV requires a reasonably close tit: in connection therewith it may nowV be explainedV that this is particularly so, between the limitsof the notch l2a when the carrier is in normal position,'and the limit Vof forward travel of purpose being'both to prevent loss of the torpedo, and to be able to hold the torpedo atr such a `level .after it leavesthe housing', that it' will be safely landed in its appointedl position, on top.4 of the rail.

In order that my device may be operatedv in unison with the semaphore, and al torpedo be placed in vits appointed position, as the semaphore is raised to danger signal, I

29. 30 represents the'usualv lever, which is pivoted upon the post by bolt 31and` has its endsV connected with cables 32, whichv inV the usual manner are madeto passabout a pulleyV 33, and, it may be understood,l are operated either at the station,

switch. Interveningf said.l

sald sprocket wheelpis given diameter aecordingly, due regard being had'for the ae- Aside from. the* means already described, where ,circumtion of the semaphore;

stances permit, the required action of said carrier may be obtained by connecting said? a pulley 35 and to the end of 36V is a stopor lug, which limits the oper-V 37 represents a suitable rod or other 'means which coperaties with a bracket 38,`

to limitthe fall of flanged collar or the loadv I9; and 39 is a hub for securing thesprocket wheel 5 to the bolt 3'.

It'may now be observed thatthe operation of my device may be accomplished otherwise than by the throwing,V of a switch; or by may be made to opera-te or ,by the ofthe semaphore from the Whenever the semaphore is operated, Whether electrically or otherwise; and hence I broadly claim means.

Having now fully described my invention What I claim is:

l.V In a device of the character described, the combination of a slotted bed piece; a slidable torpedo carrier mounted and guided thereon, and Which comprises: a slidable slotted and recessed bar; an oscilla-table, pawlcontrollable dog, which operates in said slot; and an overweighted trip, the heavy end of which operates as a pawl for the control of said dog-said dog, and said trip,both being pivotally carried by said bar, with said trip near its advancing end, and said dog operating, When held, to engage the handle of said torpedo; said slot in said bed piece being made to register with the slot in said bar, when said carrier is in operated position, thereby and then permitting the release of said dog by the operation of said trip; substantially as set forth.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a slotted bed piece; a slidable torpedo carrier mounted and guided thereon, and which comprises: a slidable, slotted and recessed bar; an oscillatable, 1 oaWl-controllable dog; and an overweighted trip, the heavy end of which operates as a pavvl for the control of said dog-said dog and trip, both being pivotally carried by said bar, With said trip near its advancing end, and said slot in said bed piece being made to register with the slot in said bar,

when said carrier is in operated position, thereby and then permitting the release of said dog by the operation of said trip; guiding means for said carrier, and mechanical means for the operation thereof; substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN E. HUNT.

Witnesses: B. A. FoUcHE,

FRANK J. TUTTLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained 'for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. C. 

